


Dragon in the Darkness

by Saoirse_Roisin_Dubh



Series: The Phoenix and the Dragon [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Non-Canon Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-20
Updated: 2016-09-20
Packaged: 2018-08-16 09:29:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8096854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saoirse_Roisin_Dubh/pseuds/Saoirse_Roisin_Dubh
Summary: 1/5 Series of One Shots about Dramione. They say phoenixes can shine their light into even the darkest of hearts. Perhaps, without any conscious thought of her own, she'd done the same to him.





	

Fall came to an abrupt end in the Scottish Highlands. Snow blanketed the ground, making the grounds of Hogwarts unnaturally quiet. The castle’s many fires couldn’t keep up with the ominous chill, clouds of fog hanging in the air around the few students up so early on a Sunday morning. Many students walked the corridors just to keep warm, or stayed huddled around the temporary fireplaces the teachers conjured to combat the bone-deep chill. However, one student sat on the cold stone floor of the astronomy tower. Partially hidden in shadow, Draco Malfoy let the chill crawl into his bones, hoping to numb his senses. Held loosely in his left hand was a letter. 

 

_ Draco,  _

_ Your father and I miss you very much, but we must inform you that you are to stay at Hogwarts this Christmas. An  _ Old Friend _ will be returning and staying with us for a time, as his manor was destroyed. While he plans a new one, we will be asking you to owl only me, only in the early hours of the morning. If our  _ friend _ has not left by the summer, we will be asking you to floo home directly to your room. I hope you understand, my little dragon.  _

_ Lovingly,  _

_ Your Mother. _

 

Draco knew the code, of course. Voldemort had been found, and he was coming to Malfoy Manor to plan his big comeback. Draco felt his stomach clench and his heart drop. He may not like mudbloods, he may think them as lower… But if Voldemort came back, he would have to fight them. He’d have to  _ kill  _  them. The image he’d been hoping to hold off popped into his head: Hermione Granger, her body broken and bloody, staring blankly at the ceiling, like a fallen angel. He shook his head, tears stinging his eyes.  He didn’t care if she died. In fact, last year he  _ wanted _ her dead. Something… Something had changed. 

He thought back to the week previous, when he’d made her move tables in the library. The fire in her eyes as she told him that he was, quite literally, the scum of wizarding society made him pause. He had hurled that same insult at her dozens of times before. Why…. why did it suddenly feel like  he’d never believed it? Her conviction was strong, sure… but could her fire really unsettle him? He shook his head, clearing it as he felt his body screaming for warmth. Deciding he’d moped long enough, he stood. Just as he was about to go down the stairs, he heard footsteps coming towards him. Pulling the hood of his robes he melted into the shadows, waiting for whoever it was to pass him. 

Hermione Granger appeared at the top of the steps, tears in her eyes. She moved to the edge of the Astronomy Tower, staring up into the sky, blinking as snowflakes melted on her face, mingling with her tears. As she stood there, the wind blowing her hair behind her, the clouds receded slightly. A single beam of light shone down onto the Gryffindor, highlighting the red and auburn in her hair, making her hair look like dark dancing fire. Draco found himself transfixed. In a swell of un-Slytherin like bravery, he stepped forward. 

“Did you mean it?” He uttered softly, causing the young witch to turn, her tears drying up immediately, her eyes turning to cold fire. 

“Yes. Every word. I have never met a more foul, vile person in my life.” She went to leave the tower, now furious but Draco caught her wrist, staring out at the snow-topped trees. She whirled around, mouth opening to start a barrage of insults.

“I never did.” The insults never came, as Hermione now stared, her mouth slightly open, at the pale-blond boy before her. He looked…. Defeated. He turned to look at her, his eyes sincere and filled with regret and a fierceness she’d never seen before. “I never did.” He let go of her wrist. She hesitated, her brow furrowed before hurrying down the stairs. 

Draco closed his eyes, the weight on his shoulder lessening. He waited a few minutes to ensure she had gone before heading down the stairs himself, to the Slytherin Common Room. 


End file.
